Niños macrosómicos y de peso normal de un consultorio de atención primaria. Comparación de características propias y maternas 1997-2000

Abstract

The incidence of low birth weight babies has been a concern of primary health care in Chile, with an incidence of 5.5%. In the Dr. J. Symon Ojeda outpatient clinic in the Metropolitan region between 1997 and 2000 the incidence of babies born with a weight less than 2 500 g has fluctuated between 3.5 and 4.7%. In contrast the incidence of macrosomic babies has varied between 6.6 and 13%. To determine differences between macrosomic and normal babies we compared all the 132 children weighing 4 000 g or more, born between 1997 and 2000 with a group of normal weight (3 000 - 3 999 g) babies randomly selected born during the same time period. Information was obtained using the clinical records of the mother and child. Results: in the macrosomic group, the porportion of males, assisted deliveries, height, cephalic perimeter and weeks of gestation were significantly higher than the control group. Apgar scores at 5 minutes were higher in the control group. The mothers of the macrosomic group scored higher in terms of age, schooling, mean weight at the beginning and end of pregnancy and number of altered glucose levels. The proportion of obese mothers at the first control was double that of the controls (p < 0.01). In both groups there was an importat number of mothers who weighed 80 kg or more at the end of pregnancy. We conclude that the 2 groups of babies differ significantly in the variables studied. We consider important that overweight women who are pregnant be treated from the time of their first visit by a multidisciplinary team.